Equipping Small Divers

[SurfLung]

Equipping Small Divers for Double Hose Regulators...
- I got a call at work from one of my little grandsons, "Boppa, can we go scuba diving when you get home?" We're talking 4-8 year olds, scooting around in 3 feet of water next to the dock. This time, they brought over their little cousin. It's pretty amazing that I have configured down sized diving gear for the two of them, but I now had to come up with ANOTHER set-up?

- Well, I had my old Nemrod 26-27cf miniature tank from High School that I had set up with a "vintage style" harness and crotch strap. I put that one on the tallest grandson and it worked pretty well. I was surprised because when I tried that kind of set up with the two smaller tanks, it didn't keep the tanks in place very well on their short little torsos.
- What I found that works is the thin plastic (not the blow-molds) back packs. For the shortest child, I shifted the waste strap to the same slot as the tank band and attached a crotch strap to the tank band where it is exposed inside the backpack. The other backpack was set up with the waste strap in it's normal position but still using the crotch strap system. But I wasn't done yet...
- These little tanks are smaller in diameter and positioned themselves too close to the backpack to allow clearance for the double hose regulator can. I solved this with peel and stick rubber feet... Between the backpack and the tank, they create enough stand-off to give clearance... In fact its almost perfect because the regulators are right up against the backpack which is right up against the back... Positioned perfectly for easiest breathing.
- Another issue was getting getting them dive masks that fit their little faces. These I got from VDH... And a matching adult sized one for their Dad.
- You might think this should be enough but it wasn't. I'd get them all set to go diving, they'd get in the water, and then withing one minute they would want to quit because they were cold. Dang It!
- Well I did some checking around and found some childrens wetsuits for only $35 each. Made in China of course. But, that solved it. The biggest success of this story was last Summer when they dove so long, they ran out of air. They were so proud of themselves and turned it into a contest of who could run out of air the soonest.

[georgeaustin]

PURE AWESOMENESS!!! Nice job. Maybe some hoods would help with the cold but they's have to be custom made for their little heads and probably at great cost Oh well, . . tell em being cold builds character. I dived Palos Verdes on Monday in 51F water in a 2 mil surf suit but I forgot all about the cold when I got halfway down the anchor line and saw how great the reef looked.

[antique diver]

Hey Boppa, nice little Scuba rigs! I started my kids and grandkids early like that too, and we had lots of fun together. Too bad we couldn't have started that early too.

[swimjim]

Awesome Eben! Just awesome! Jeeze, now were going to have to get shorter hoses. LOL

[SeaHuntJerry]

Nice photos didn't make it to my phone!

[USdiver]

Eben,

That is just too cool. I started diving in my early teens, as did my kids (the wife as an older teenager). Never would have thought that little kids would fit most gear what with masks, mouthpieces, tanks and back packs all being made for larger persons.

Enjoy the diving with your newest buddies!

[Drado]

That was the coolest photo One of these days, I hope to do the same for my daughter.

[Creed]

You might also look for some of the old Survivair mini-tanks. They were used as doubles, and the manifold was weird, but a Conshelf or Aquarius fits just fine. I sold all of mine(my youngest is now certified and too big for pony style tanks), but they were cool little tanks for kids.